Sunrise
by Pebbleclaw
Summary: Four books is certainly not enough for some Twilight fans, and therefore I present to you Sunrise, which follows on several months after Breaking Dawn.
1. Intro

**Disclaimer**

I own nothing.

**Warning**

Spoilers abound. Unless you have read _all four books _then you should not read this story.

Also, it gets rather gory at times.

**Introduction**

I was a bit depressed at the thought of nothing exciting happening to the Cullens, so I made my own sequel. It takes place several months after _Breaking Dawn_ finishes. It is a very short story, at _c._ 10,000 words, which is about one fifteenth of _New Moon_'s length.


	2. Visitor

**Chapter 1**

**Visitor**

"Cheer up, love," Edward murmured, patting my leg. "It'll be okay."

I frowned. "And how can you be so sure about that?" I demanded.

"Alice," he said calmly, grinning.

I rolled my eyes then turned my attention to the window. The clouds drifted past lazily, staining the neverending blue with wisps of white. It was true, what Edward said. Alice had predicted that all would go smoothly. Renee would faint, overwhelmed by the sudden knowledge, but would nonetheless be fine. Still, it was unnerving, knowing that her fate was balanced in my cold, marble palm.

I frowned again, remembering all to clearly the less than pleasant conversation from a few hours previous.

_"Hello?"_

_"Um.. hello. I'm looking for the Cullens, this may be the wrong number," Renee's voice responded._

_"No, this is it. Bella Cullen," I greeted, both cheered and devastated by her call. "Hey, Mum."_

_"Bella?" Renee's voice was worried now. "Bella, that doesn't sound like you. Are you okay?"_

_"Mum, I'm fine," I promised. "I've just.. er… changed. A bit. Nothing to worry about."_

_Edward's arms appeared around my waist and he laid his head on my free shoulder. "Tell her I say hi," he whispered into my ear, too low for the phone to pick up._

_"Oh." Renee paused. "Well how are you?"_

_"I'm good. Better than good, actually. I'm fantastic," I replied happily. "Never been better," I added truthfully. "Edward says hi."_

_"Oh, hi Edward."_

_"Good morning, Renee," he said into the receiver._

_"Bella," Renee began, but stopped as though she dreaded to continue._

_"What?" Now I was panicked. "What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing's wrong. It's just, well, I haven't spoken to you for months. It's like you just… disappeared. I miss you."_

_I smiled. "I miss you, too, Mum."_

_Renesmee choose that very moment to bustle inside. "Daddy, look what I found," she called, holding up a bright green and red Christmas beetle. Her cheeks flashed pink, her chocolate eyes glowed and her dimples stood out against her pale skin. Her curly bronze hair bobbed along her shoulders and cascaded down her back in a waterfall. "It's so pretty."_

_Edward was instantly at her side, scooping her up and resting a finger against her lips. Renesmee saw the phone in my hands, the worried look of my face, and clapped her hands over her mouth. She stayed quiet._

_"What was that?" Renee cried, suddenly alert to the goings-on behind the line. "Did I hear a kid… say _daddy_?" She gasped and hesitated. Then her voice was concerned. "Bella, is there something you want to tell me?"_

_I groaned. "Mum, please… wait. I can't explain it over the phone. I…" What could I say? Hey mum, guess what, I'm a vampire now._

_"Am I a grandmother?" she whispered._

_"Er…"_

_Now her voice was eager, excited. "Bella! What are you keeping from me? If I have a grandkid I want to know! But if she's already talking…" she trailed off, obviously counting down the months since she'd seen me, and noticing that it didn't add up. "What is going on Bella!? Tell me!"_

_"Mum, I will, but trust me, it's complicated."_

_"I'm coming over there, Isabella. I'm going to come visit my granddaughter right now and see for myself what you are hiding," she threatened._

_"Mum, don't! Edward and I will fly over. No point you wasting money." Not to mention the dangers for you. "We'll be there in a few hours. We'll leave now."_

_Renee softened. "Bring the girl, will you?"_

_"Okay."_

_There was a long pause._

_"Bye, Mum."_

_"…Bye Bella."_

_I hung up the phone, exasperated, and flung myself into Edward's arms. Renesmee placed her warm palm against my cheek, showing me that she was worried._

_"It's okay, Nessie," I murmured, curling one of her thick bronze locks around my finger._

_I turned to Edward. "What am I going to do? If I tell her everything… If I tell her _anything_, then her life will be in danger from the Volturi! And I don't want to turn her into a vampire, I can't. It just would not be fair on her."_

_"The only thing we can do is go there and explain as much as she wants to know. Just remember, you're life was in no peril before you rescued me in Italy. It was only then that Aro discovered you even existed. If Renee remains in Phoenix and keeps the secret, nobody will be any the wiser."_

_I sighed. "You're right. I can't keep this from her. She's so damn curious. I don't blame her really." I lifted Renesmee out of Edward's arms and cradled her in mine. "I guess we better go catch a plane, then."_

The plane shuddered and the captain spoke over the loudspeaker. "We will be landing in Phoenix in ten minutes, ladies and gentlemen. Please fasten your seatbelts and store any items in the overhead lockers."

"Zzzzz… snrt! Whah?"

Renesmee shook Jacob again. "Wake up, Jake, we're almost there," she chimed.

Jacob had come with us, refusing to allow Renesmee out of a five mile radius. He rubbed his eyes and groaned.

The plane descended. It shook as the wheels hit the tarmac. Renesmee threw up her arms and giggled. "Weeee!"

Eventually the plane pulled into the terminal and the gate slid open. I jumped out of my seat and – just barely remembering to act human – speedwalked through the tunnel, clutching Edward's hand. We exited the busy airport and flagged down a cab.

The sun seeped through the tinted windows, glimmering faintly on my leg. I flinched, but fortunately the sight was invisible to the driver's eyes.

For ten minutes I thought of what I should say. But even after we'd turned into Renee's street, I still had no idea.

"Could you drop us here?" I asked. A large tree hung across the pavement, providing much welcome shade. The gap between Renee's front door and the road was too bright to exit the cab without attracting attention.

The cab pulled over and we got out. Edward, Renesmee and I kept to the restricted shaded patches while Jacob flaunted his ability to walk in the sun. After what seemed like an eternity - although it was less than a minute - we reached the house.

Once reunited with his imprintee, Jacob gratefully lifted Renesmee out of my arms. Renesmee reached up, placing her hand across Jacob's cheek. He smiled, euphoria spreading across his face.

"Jacob, you stay out here – out of sight – with Renesmee. When we say to, you bring her in," I instructed.

"Okay," Jacob mumbled, still lost inside Renesmee's visions. He lumbered off.

I turned around and face the house. I gripped Edward's hand tighter.

"It's all right, love," he whispered. "It'll be fine. They're waiting for you."

I grimaced and reached up, my forefinger hesitating on the button. As soon as I pushed, Renee's life would be in my hands. The Volturi, if they found out, would be merciless. They would hunt her down and kill her. Or I would have to bite her, taste her blood, and watch helplessly as she writhed in agony for three days, emerging as a thirsty, wild newborn.

I pushed that out of my mind and pressed the button.

I heard glass break inside. "They're here!" came Renee's voice. Then loud footsteps, rushing to the door. Excited.

The door flung open. Renee took in my features – my pearl white skin, my golden eyes, my slender figure, my breathtaking beauty – and gasped.


	3. Truth

**Chapter 2**

**Truth**

Renee's knees buckled and she had to lean against the door for support. Her breathing came in strangled gasps.

Edward gripped my hand tighter.

"What's she thinking?" I whispered, too fast and low for a human to hear.

"She doesn't know _what_ to think," he muttered, his eyes taking in my mother's reaction.

After half a minute, Renee pulled herself together. Her hand lingered on the door handle and her forehead creased in concentration.

Finally Renee found the strength to push down and she swung the door open. She chewed her lip. "Come in," she greeted, the cheeriness forced in her voice.

I smiled and we walked inside, stopping to turn several steps away. Renee poked her head out the door and looked around. Her eyes narrowed.

"Where is she?"

Very persistent, isn't she?

"I thought we could speak to you before you meet her," I replied. It was then I noticed Phil hovering in the kitchen doorway. "Alone," I added.

Renee looked at Phil then back at me, then at Edward. "But…"

"It's okay, honey," Phil offered, approaching us and placing a hand on Renee's shoulder. "I need to get to work anyway." He kissed Renee on the forehead and left.

Edward smiled.

Renee watched Phil leave, then entered the kitchen. "Would you like a cuppa?" she called, keeping her voice calm.

"No thanks," I answered.

"Edward?"

"No thank you."

I heard a cupboard opening and the swish of the a picking up the broken glass.

Edward and I made our way to the couch and sat down. "How is she doing?" I asked.

"She's a bit distressed and very confused, but she's faring well." Edward paused to listen. "She's jumping to conclusions and making up all these impossible ideas in her head."

I sighed.

Renee entered and, rather shakily, sat down in the armchair facing us, a serious expression on her face. She placed two glasses of water on the coffee table and pushed them toward us.

"Now –" she crossed her legs, resting her chin in her right hand, her elbow balancing on her knee "– tell me what is going on."

I took a deep breath. How much should we tell her? Alice had envisioned a successful visit, but Renesmee's and Jacob's close presence had obscured the finer details.

Renee watched me closely, preparing to take in anything.

I took a deep breath. Her human scent hit me, but it was nothing. I'd long passed the stage of instant thirst, even though I was still technically a newborn.

"I don't really know how to explain," I admitted.

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" she suggested.

"I'd rather… not." What could I say? _Well, Mum, in 1901 Edward was born. Yeah, that's right, he's really 107 years old. Did I forget to mention that?_ "Have you ever been… very superstitious?" I began. I knew the answer. No, she hadn't. But it seemed the best way to start.

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. She glanced from me to Edward, then back again. Edward uttered a low chuckle. Whatever she was assuming was amusing to him.

"No." Now her eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Okay, it's best I be blunt." I could hardly ease into this slowly. "But you must promise me one thing."

Renee raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Yes?"

"Whatever I tell you, you must tell _nobody_ else. You must not breathe a word, even to Phil. You must guard this secret with… Well, just don't say anything aloud, okay?" I pleaded. "I'm only telling you anything because if I don't you jump to conclusions and that may make it worse, if you're trying to find answers in the wrong places. It is important you understand this, Mum." I locked her gaze onto mine, begging for her to realize the enormity of my words.

"Okay," she agreed slowly. Her chin quivered slightly.

I hesitated. "Edward and I… we're… we're…"

She leaned forward.

"We're vampires."

Renee's eyes widened. "Va.. va.. vamp_ires_?" Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed against the armchair.

And there she goes. Alice's vision came true. She'd fainted.

"Well that went well," I said bitterly.

We laid her down on the couch and propped her head up on a pillow. I bent over her anxiously, waiting for her to awake. Edward walked along the wall, studying the photos lining them, chuckling here and there at my baby pictures.

Finally Renee's eyes fluttered open. She groaned and sat up.

"Are you okay?" I murmured softly, sitting on the arm of the couch. I began to reach out to comfort her, but pulled my hand back. Cold skin would not help matters.

Renee eyes began to focus. She looked at me warily. Her chin quivered again and tears were suddenly flowing.

"Mum, it's okay." I carefully wrapped her in a hug, making sure that my skin did not touch hers.

Nonetheless, she shivered. "Bella, you're freezing!"

Immediately I pulled away. "Sorry," I muttered.

Renee sniffed and sat up straight. "Well," she said bravely, trying to hide the fear in her voice. "Are you going to explain?"

I was surprised. "What more is there to explain?"

Renee bit her lip. "Well, are you going to tell me why you're not drinking my blood at this very moment?" She tried to make it sound humorous, but her voice caught and gave her terror away.

"Oh." I laughed. A faint, distressed laugh. "Okay."

I sat down on the couch beside her, Edward on my other side. His arm was around my waist, comforting me.

"Well, the Cullens… we feed on animals," I began. "That's why our eyes are gold. If we were like normal vampires, and fed on humans, then they would be red."

Renee exhaled, clearly relaxed by my explanation. "So where's my granddaughter?" she pressed.

I smiled. "Jacob!"

Renee cocked her head. "Grand_son_?" she asked. "But I could have sworn I heard a girl."

"No, no," I reassured. "She is a girl, but she's with her… er… friend at the moment. I thought I better get the main thing covered before you meet her."

Renee nodded.

We heard the door open and footsteps.

"In here," Renee called, excitement flooding her voice. She stood up, facing the doorway.

Jacob emerged with Renesmee hanging off one hand.

As soon as Renee saw her, she squealed with delight and rushed to her side, arms wide. Renesmee eyed her curiously, then looked to me. I nodded, and Renesmee flashed Renee a smile, allowing herself to be scooped up.

Renesmee began to reach up with her palm. "Ness!" I hissed softly. Renesmee understood and dropped her arm.

"Oh, aren't you simply _adorable_?" Renee cooed, practically dancing back to the couch.

Jacob sat down cautiously in an armchair, eyes locked onto Renesmee.

Renesmee bobbed up and down happily in Renee's lap. "Hello," she chimed.

"Hello, there, little one," Renee whispered, curling Renesmee's hand around her index finger. "What's your name?"

"My name is Renesmee."

Renee stopped cooing and her eyes darted to me. She raised an eyebrow.

"We named her after you and Esme." I grinned at Renee's expression of sheer ecstasy.

"So why have you kept her a secret for so long?" she queried. She peered down at the apparent five-year-old on her leg. "And why is she so old?"

"Well…" I hesitated, not knowing how to begin. I looked to Edward for help.

He patted my arm and continued for me. "Renesmee is half human. She grows at an alarming rate. The pregnancy lasted only a couple of weeks and right now she is no older than ten months."

Renee's eyes almost popped out of her head. "Ten _months_?" she looked back at Renesmee, surprised. "But…" She bit her lip, her brows creased with concern. I knew what she was worried about.

"Don't worry," I said. "Alice did some research and Nessie is going to be fully mature at around seven, then… will stop growing."

Renee nodded slowly.

"There's something else you should know…" I started.

"Yes?"

"Well… vampires, they don't age," I explained. "So, I'm never going to look any different to how I do now."

Renee couldn't find her voice. "Really?" she mouthed.

"Yes."

"So you never…?"

"No, we don't die… of old age," I added. No need to get into gory details.

"Does Renesmee…?"

"No."

Renee stared at the little half-vampire, half-human girl in her lap in wonder.


	4. Intruder

**Chapter 3**

**Intruder**

We stayed for a couple of hours, but when night began to fall I stood up.

"Mum, we have to go home," I said.

Renee looked crestfallen. "You just got here," she protested.

"I know, but we really must go."

Renee frowned. "Why?" she demanded. "You have all of eternity, can't you spare a few days with your mother?"

I smiled. "I'll come back soon, Mum, I promise. But we can't stay now. Alice is the only one who knows what we're doing." I frowned. What would Carlisle think?

Renee's bottom lip jutted out in a pout. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Renee wrapped me in a big hug, sobbing incoherently into my shoulder. "Be safe," she finally whispered. She then hugged Edward and Jacob and Renesmee – who got the biggest hug of us all.

We farewelled and were just stepping onto the patio when we were interrupted by a howl.

It was not a howl like what Jacob cried. It was a wrenching shriek, piercing the souls of all who heard it. It was a howl that a crazed wolf would sound, yet it was twisted into a human scream. A cry of agony, anger and utter hatred, wound up into the bloodcurling cry of some deranged creature.

As the horrible wail continued, Renesmee clapped her hands to her ears. "What _is_ that? Make it stop!"

Suddenly Edward was snarling, shoving us back toward the door.

"Get inside!" he yelled. He all but picked us up and hurled us back inside. Quickly he bolted the door shut then disappeared. I heard the windows in the other rooms slam shut. I joined him, helping to push furniture against the windows and doors.

Renee, Jacob and Renesmee hovered close by, now absolutely terrified.

I still didn't know what was going on.

"Edward, what's going on?" I hissed, piling a dresser against the back door.

He didn't manage to answer.

There was a loud smash, glass breaking. We all turned toward the sound.

Laboured breathing, heavy footsteps. It was just beyond Renee's bedroom.

A snarl erupted from Edward's throat. He crouched, ready to spring at the intruder. I copied. The others were cowering behind us.

The door burst off its hinges, splintering into a dozen pieces. In the doorway stood a dark shape. It was as tall as a man, its muscled arms curving into deformed hands, each digit harbouring a glinting claw. Its legs were bent, dog-like, and it was standing on its toes. It was covered in shaggy grey fur.

As it reared its massive head, I saw the distorted face. Its eyes were narrowed, glowing bright crimson. Sallow cheeks, the skin hugging the bones. The canine ears were erect, focused on the three beating hearts behind me. A short muzzle jutted out from the middle of its face. Its lips pulled back – presenting a row of yellow razor-sharp teeth and two long curved canines – into an evil grin.


	5. Evacuation

**Chapter 4**

**Evacuation**

The stench was a thousand times worse than Jacob's shape shifter scent. It was like pepper, burning my nostrils, inviting a gagging reflex.

Edward launched himself at the creature. They both fell, snarling, ripping, clawing, tearing. I pounced, grabbing it around the head.

There was the sound of ripping material and a large furry mass joined, his teeth locking around its tail and yanking. It screeched and thrashed about wildly – it was strong.

It ripped an arm around, clawing up my back and finding a threshold on my neck. I screamed as it dug its way into my stone skin. I gauged out one of its eyes, tearing through the flesh down its cheek. Its jaw clamped around my hand, jerking about.

Jacob had dismantled its tail and flung it across the room and now began sawing through the thick hide. Edward wreathed the arm from my neck and with a satisfying _riiiip_ it hurtled into the television, shattering the screen. Miniscule glass shards drifted down like snowflakes.

The creature howled, blood pouring from the wounds we had inflicted. My hand was almost off. I opened my mouth and closed it around its muzzle, biting as hard as I could. The taste of its blood was putrid, but I keep pressing deeper. The bones snapped and the hold around my hand released.

I stood back in time for Edward to tear through its jugular veins. It gurgled for several seconds, its thrashing becoming feebler.

Jacob's paw came crashing down, whacking its face, pushing out more blood. Finally it stuttered its last hoarse breath.

I withdrew, rubbing the laceration on my neck. Edward stood up, brushing himself off. Jacob shifted back into a human and went to find more clothes.

"What was that?" I asked.

"That was a werewolf," Edward muttered.

It was hard to imagine that I had ever thought that _Jacob_ was a werewolf. To compare him to that vicious creature... I shuddered.

Looking around, I noticed that Renee and Renesmee had vanished. "Mum? Nessie?" I called, panic gripping me.

I picked out a strangled sob with my acute hearing. Following the sound, I peered into the bathroom. Renee was shivering, white with fear, curled up in the shower, clutching Renesmee to her chest. She saw me and shrank back, shaking violently.

"Mum," I said gently. "It's okay, he's gone now. He won't hurt you."

Renesmee reached up, her arms stretching toward me. Renee gripped her tighter.

"Mum..." I kneeled down, my hand out.

Renee's eyes found mine. Her chin was quivering and she was still as white as me. I pulled a towel from the rack and wrapped it around her and Renesmee. Carefully, I lifted them both up effortlessly, cradling my mother in my arms. Renesmee wiggled free, swinging herself onto my back. She pressed her hand to my cheek, reliving the moment when Edward had pounced and Renee had screamed, grabbing her hand and fleeing to the bathroom to hide. How terrifying it was for them when they'd heard the crashing, the yelping, the howls and my scream of pain as the creature tried to rip my throat out. I winced.

I carried Renee back into the living room, laying her down on the couch. I took a large quilt from the hallway cupboard and laid it over her. "It's okay," I soothed.

Edward was mopping up the spilt blood. The fireplace was flickering fiercely, the pieces of werewolf burning away. Jacob rushed to my side, pulled off Renesmee and hugged her.

"I've called a cab," Edward said, putting his arm around my waist. "There are more of them. We need to get her away from here." He glanced at Renee.

I sat beside Renee's head on the arm of the couch. I wanted to pat her, to reassure her, but my cold skin would hardly help her shock. "Mum, you need to come with us. It's... it's not safe here anymore," I explained.

Renee nodded stiffly, unable to find her voice.

"Sorry about the house," I murmured.

Up until now, Renee hadn't noticed the destruction. She looked around, taking in the broken windows, overturned armchairs, shattered television and carpet of glass, blood stained walls...

"Phil," Renee managed to whisper.

"Oh, right... What's his number?"

Renee shook her head. "I'll ring him." She stretched her hand out, beckoning toward the phone. I retrieved and handed to her.

Hands still shaking, she dialled and pressed the phone to her ear. It picked up on the third ring.

"_Hey honey_," came Phil's voice from the receiver.

"Phil..." Renee's voice quivered – the fear was evident.

"_What's wrong_?" Phil was panicked.

"Um... I'm okay, don't worry. But we've had a... er... burglar –" Phil gasped "– and we need to... er... leave."

"_Oh my God!_" Phil cried. "_Are you okay? What happened? I'm coming home."_

"NO!" Renee shrieked. "Don't come home! Don't come anywhere near here!"

Now he was confused. "_Why_?"

"We can't stay here," Renee repeated. "It's not safe. Whatever you do, don't come anywhere near here."

"_But... why? It was just a burglar. Surely you don't have to _move?" He was even more confused now.

"Just trust me. I'll contact you later. Just...." She looked at me, covering the phone with her palm. "Where are we going?" she whispered.

"We'll take you to Carlisle," Edward answered. "You'll be safe with us."

"Oh great." She rolled her eyes melodramatically. "More vampires." She removed her palm and resumed her conversation with Phil. "Stay with friends or something. I'm sorry, just trust me. I don't want you to get hurt." Her and Edward flinched. She must be imagining Phil at the hands of another werewolf.

"_What aren't you telling me? What is going on over there?_"

"Phil!" Renee snapped. "I know you worried, but you must trust me! Don't come here! That's... that's what they want. I'll ring you in a few hours. Don't panic."

"_Who's they?_" he demanded.

"You don't want to know," she mumbled under her breath. "I love you, Phil."

"_I love you too."_

Before he could protest any more, she hung up.


	6. Thoughts

**Chapter 5**

**Thoughts**

Renee sat on the couch with her arms around her knees, rocking slightly, staring off into space with a blank look on her face. Jacob was watching the fire smugly. Renesmee had her face settled into his shirt and was snoring softly. I took the opportunity to talk quietly with Edward.

"How's she coping?" I asked.

Edward frowned. "She's worried about Phil." He looked away from me, avoiding my gaze.

"What are you hiding?" I demanded. "What is it? _Tell me_."

"She..." He hesitated, then took a deep breath and continued. "...doesn't like us."

"What do you mean she doesn't _like _us?" I hissed.

"Well, she hasn't seen her daughter in months, and then you show up and explain that you've been turned into a mythical creature that is supposed to be evil. What is she supposed to think? She's terrified of us. She still... she still _loves_ you... as a daughter. As a family member. But she's just..." He trailed off. "Especially now with the werewolf attack..."

I nodded absentmindedly. Had I expected this? How could I not have? My own mother, scared of me. I grimaced and buried my face in Edward's chest. He patted me softly on the back.

"Why did the werewolf come here?" I whispered.

"He could smell us. Two vampires, a shape shifter, a half-vampire half-human child and a living human. Obviously that would seem a bit strange, don't you think?" Suddenly he grinned and entwined his fingers through my hair. "Being the naive newborn werewolf he was, he thought he was strong enough to take us all on."

"Wait a minute. He was a _newborn_?"

Edward frowned. "Yes, completely newborn."

"But that means that there's a werewolf out there biting people... _now_."

He nodded solemnly. "Yes," he confirmed.

I made a strangled sobbing sound. I had this unexpected pity towards the creature. It wasn't his fault he had become a maddened beast. He had had friends, a job, maybe a wife and kids. He'd laughed, cried, enjoyed life. Then he'd had it all destroyed when he'd been bitten and lost everything, even his mind.

Edward nudged his nose against mine. Renee was watching us, her eyes narrowed cautiously.

A car honked outside.

"That'll be the cab," Edward said, straightening up. He held a hand out politely to Renee. "You okay to walk?"

She stood up unsteadily, muttered, "I'm fine, thanks," and marched out of the living room.

* * *

The plane trip was quiet. Renee gazed vacantly out the window. Jacob snored away while Renesmee played with his hands and hair. Edward's arm was around my shoulders. He was silent, letting my thoughts roam.

What could we do about the werewolf problem? The Volturi would be quick to take it into their own hands. Demetri would track down the creator and destroy him, then continue on to the creations. They would fix the problems in no time.

But what about Renee? We'd have to explain the story. _Hey Aro, thought you should know that we went and saw my mother the other day. While we were there a werewolf broke in. We killed him, but it was a newborn and Edward heard in his thoughts that there were more of them. There must be a creator on the loose. Could you take care of that please? But leave my mum alone, she has nothing to do with anything. Yeah, I know she saw the werewolf..._

I grimaced. The Volturi wouldn't care if my mother was on the other side of town when the werewolf attacked. They would still find some excuse to kill her.


	7. Meeting

**Chapter 6**

**Meeting**

Carlisle eyed us curiously as we emerged from the cab outside the house.

"Good afternoon Renee," he greeted warmly.

She faked a smile at him, shaking like a leaf. She was petrified. As Edward walked away with Carlisle, I ushered Renee inside.

My vampire family was edge, watching Renee enter warily. She shook uncontrollably as she fumbled her way to the couch and sat down.

Alice rushed over to me. "What happened? I couldn't see _anything_! I – I –"

"Alice!" I put my hands on her shoulders and steadied her. "We were attacked," I said calmly.

Her eyes grew wide.

"By a werewolf."

Alice staggered backwards. I heard Jasper suck in a deep breath, Esme gasp, Rosalie hiss under her breath and Emmett mutter "holy crow". Everyone's eyes darted to Renee.

Carlisle entered the room with Edward, his expression guarded. He beckoned us into the dining room. Renee made no indication of wanting to move.

"Renee," Carlisle called gently. "You should be a part of this."

Renee grunted and joined us, sitting down in a chair opposite me at the enormous dining table. A sudden sense of warmth fell around us and Renee relaxed. I shot Jasper a grateful look. Every chair was taken once Jacob and Renesmee sat down.

Carlisle laid his hands on the wooden surface and looked at us all in turn. "Edward told me what happened. They were visiting Renee –" he glanced at her "– and a werewolf broke in. Jacob, Bella and Edward managed to kill and burn it, but it was a newborn."

As soon as the word _newborn_ left his lips, there were hisses of alarm and everyone began talking at once.

"A newborn!" Jasper hissed.

"How did this happen?" Esme cried.

"What are we going to do?" Emmett asked eagerly.

"Loose in Phoenix!" Alice chimed.

"I thought werewolves were practically extinct!" Rosalie shrieked.

Carlisle held up his hand for silence. "We must decide on what to do."

"We can't tell the Volturi," I added.

"What's the Volturi?" Renee piped up.

All eyes turned to her and she looked down, turning red.

"It's like the vampire government," Carlisle explained, choosing his words carefully. "They make sure that we keep our existence secret. And they have a particular dislike for werewolves."

"Why can't you tell them?" she asked.

There was a long pause as everyone shifted in their seats uncomfortably.

"Because they'd kill you," Jacob answered bluntly.

She looked shocked. "Why would they want to kill _me_?"

"Mum..." I hesitated. "You know when I went to Italy to get Edward back?"

Edward flinched. She eyed him suspiciously and nodded.

"Well, the Volturi, they... met me. And, well, I was a _human_ who knew basically _everything_ about the vampire world. They didn't like that. They don't trust anyone."

Renee's chin quivered as I continued.

"They threatened to kill me, Mum. Unless I became a vampire."

She was up then, towering over me. "_What_?" she shrieked. "You told me you became a – a – a _vampire_ because you loved Edward and you wanted to be with him forever! You never told me that you ruined your life because of some stupid _Volturi_!" She glared at Edward accusingly.

Jasper worked his magic and sudden calm spread across her face. She looked confused.

"Mum, calm down!" I pleaded. "I _do_ love Edward and I _do_ want to be with him forever. I'd actually made up my mind about changing at the prom."

Renee was trying to be angry despite Jasper. But she gave up and flopped down into her chair then buried her face in her arms and cried into them.

It was silent for a while. No one knew what to say. Finally Renee looked up, wiping her eyes with her arm. Her face was red and puffy. "Tell them," she stuttered between sobs. "I'll go into hiding with Phil."

I shook my head. "We can't do that. They'll just track you. Anyway, we need to deal with the problem now. We don't have time to wait."

She snorted but didn't reply.

"You shouldn't have said anything in the first place," Rosalie snapped. Jacob bared his teeth.

"Anyway," Carlisle continued. "We need to find this creator and destroy him." He flinched slightly as he said the word _destroy_. He didn't like to kill.

"Should be pretty easy," Emmett joked. "You still reek of its stench."

"No, that's the dog." Rosalie glared at Jacob.

"Shut your face, Blondie!" Jacob shot back.

"You wanna start something, mongrel?"

"Rose, Jake, can it," I interrupted before Rosalie could get up.

Renesmee reached over and touched Jacob's face. He was immediately distracted.

Edward looked out the window at the full moon. It was shining brightly, splashing sparkles over the ground, tinting the trees with silver.

"We'd need to do it tonight," he said. "Before they transform back into a human and migrate."

"I'm so sick of planes," I groaned.

Out of my peripheral vision I noticed Renee sneak a sympathetic half-smile at me.


	8. Charlie

**Chapter 7**

**Charlie**

Ten minutes later we were at Charlie's. He opened the door in his slippers, rubbing his eyes. It was midnight. His face twisted with confusion when he saw us all standing on his porch.

"Renee? What are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously.

"Hi Dad," I interrupted, pushing my way inside. Edward, Renee and Renesmee came in after me but the others waited outside.

He turned around and narrowed his eyes at us. "Bella?" he queried.

"We have a bit of a werewolf problem –" I began.

Immediately he turned and glared at Jacob. "What did you do!?" he fumed.

"Calm down." I placed my hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Jacob is not a werewolf. He thought he was but he isn't. He's a shape shifter. But there are_ real_ werewolves out there, and they are much more dangerous."

His eyes widened. Renee shuffled behind me uncomfortably, holding Renesmee's hand. Then his eyes darted to Renee.

"Can Renee and Nessie stay with you tonight?" I asked.

"Is it going to attract a werewolf here?" he grunted, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope. The werewolves are in Pheonix. That's why Mum is here, so she's safe. We're going to Forks now to deal with it."

Charlie stifled a gasp. "_What_? You're going off to fight _werewolves_?" he cried.

"It'll be okay. We already took one down. We'll be safe," I reassured him, "I just want to make sure that Mum and Nessie are as well."

He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out but a strangled choke. He closed it again, lost for words. Finally he nodded.

"Thanks." I hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, then bent down to face Renesmee. "We'll be back before you wake up in the morning," I whispered, kissing her forehead and holding her close to me. I could smell the strawberry shampoo wafting from her hair and inhaled. She pressed her palm against my cheek. Images of her and I flashed in my mind, broken off by the snarl of the werewolf. I pulled away quickly and hugged and kissed Renee. Jacob held Renesmee for ages before Rosalie told him to hurry up. When he finally let go he was crying.

"It'll be okay," I whispered, patting his arm.

He hurried out the door then, obviously scared that if he stayed any longer he wouldn't be able to leave.


	9. Tracking

**Chapter 8**

**Tracking**

We stood outside Renee's home, unsure of how to proceed. A police car was parked outside, its lights flashing. An elderly neighbour, clad in a long lavender dressing robe and matching slippers, was talking to a police officer.

"Just slip around them," Carlisle instructed. He flashed across the street, oblivious to the human eyes, and leaped over Renee's backyard fence.

We followed quickly. I sprinted across the tarmac and soared over the fence effortlessly, landing on the grass without a sound. Inside I could hear investigators rummaging around, muttering to each other.

"We need to get them out of here," I whispered. "What if another one comes?"

"There _is_ another one coming," Edward hissed, suddenly agitated. "It's coming right for us."

We whirled around as a dark mass smashed through the fence. Cries came from inside.

The werewolf sprung at Esme. She landed a good kick on its nose, resulting in a _crack_ of bone. We pounced on it and lugged it into the forest before the policemen and investigators had time to reach the backyard.

"Don't kill it," Edward said, "I want to get some answers first."

We pinned the beast down. It thrashed about frantically, snarling and howling, but we held strong. Edward stood over it, his golden eyes flashing with rage.

"Why are you here?" he demanded.

The werewolf twisted and flailed, roaring in defiance. Edward glared at it.

"How many?" he growled. "What? _Why_?" His lips turned up in a snarl. "_Who_?"

Edward reached his hands out and gripped the werewolf's neck. "Okay, I'm done." Instantly eight vampires and an enormous wolf were on top of it, clawing and ripping. Five seconds later there was a putrid billow of smoke drifting out of the forest canopy.

All eyes turned to Edward. "There is someone over in the next town who is just going around biting people and setting them loose. There are over a dozen that he knows of so far." He clenched his jaw. "He doesn't know who the creator is or why they are being changed. They are coming here smelling us."

"Well we must follow his scent to the town," Carlisle said.

Alice nodded in agreement. "All right, let's get tracking."

I crouched down, sniffing the ground. The revolting stench hit me again. We followed it through the forest. The full moon shone down, sprinkling silver over the foliage, tinting the trees and the rocks and the leaves.

We trekked in silence, inhaling deeply to detect which way the werewolf came from.

"Here's another," Edward warned. He spun around in time for a furry figure to crash through the trees and land on him. He raked his teeth across its flank. Jasper and Alice had an arm each, tearing through the flesh. Rosalie had its tail in her teeth. Carlisle and Esme slashed through the legs. I pounced on its head, clawing at its face. Emmett grabbed it in a headlock and ripped through its jugular. It was all over fairly quickly.

Carlisle took a lighter from his pocket and set the shredded corpse on fire. He frowned. "I don't like doing this, but I guess there is no other choice."

"I can hear the town," Alice reported, pointing. "It is a few miles that way."

She was right. The sound of cars driving along a highway was evident, along with the unmistakable tang of pollution. And there was another smell...

"Werewolf," I whispered.

Jasper nodded solemnly. "There's heaps of them."

Emmett cracked his knuckles. "Let's go kick some butt."

We followed the scent through the trees, past the highway and into the thicket of buildings. It was getting stronger. Jacob was human again, Edward's jacket tied around his waist. His clothes had ripped again with the second attack.

A scream pierced through the still night air. We tore around the corner and were faced with a half demolished house. The windows were smashed, the furniture visible through them overturned and shredded. The lights were flickering and the resounding noise of crashes and bangs echoed around the quiet neighbourhood. Some lights clicked on in nearby houses and worried faces peered out.

In five strides we were inside. It was crouched over, a limp body in its arms. I wrinkled my nose at the stench.

Jacob leapt first, his shape mixing with the intruder's. There was a flurry of excitement and the werewolf was covered in snarling vampires. It let out a howl of agony.

I rushed over to the woman lying on the floor. I detected a pulsating heart and noticed that her eyes were wide with fear as she took in the scene before her. I kneeled down and tried to block her sight. "It's okay," I whispered, "you're safe now. We're the good guys."

Tears streamed down her face and she recoiled away from me. I smelled burning and turned to see the werewolf go up in flames.

Carlisle hurried over and kneeled down beside me. "Are you hurt?" he asked the woman.

Her chin was quivering and she stared up at him with terrified eyes, but eventually she shook her head. Sirens screeched onto the road. He stood up. "We have to go now. Get yourself to the hospital."

Beckoning for us to follow, he jumped out the back window and darted around an alleyway. I followed, relishing in the joy I felt at saving the woman's life.

"Was that the creator?" Jasper demanded once we were all safely out of sight.

Edward shook his head. "No, but he got changed about a half hour ago so the creator is close by. That one escaped. The creator is recruiting them."

There were gasps all around. "An army of werewolves!" Esme murmured.

"I'm so sorry," Alice cried, wringing her hands and shuffling her feet. "I'm no help."

"It's not your fault," Jasper said sternly.

Carlisle glanced at his clock. "It's five. The sun will be up pretty soon. We need to get going."

"This way." Jacob had his nose to the ground, padding along and sniffing like a bloodhound.

We ran with him, scenting everything. Werewolf stained the air.

The trail led us back into the forest. We delved deeper into the maze of green and brown, dodging trunk after trunk. I thought about how I'd reacted when Edward had slung me onto his back and ran through the trees for the first time so long ago. How I'd criticized him. But he was right, it was easy – second nature. My feet barely touched the ground as we ran.

Edward stopped suddenly. I dug my heels into the earth, skidding to a halt. Confused faces turned to him.

"They're here."

He parted the foliage of two large firs and took a step forward into a clearing. We followed cautiously. I grimaced as I saw what stood before us.

A row of furry silver bodies, spanning the entire width of the clearing. Yellow teeth gleamed in the sparkling moonlight, crimson eyes flashing with excitement. Claws clicked as they shuffled their feet, eager for bloodshed.

There were twenty-one werewolves. We were completely outnumbered.


	10. Battle

**Chapter 9**

**Battle**

We pounced, they pounced, and the roaring and snarling reverberated off the forest, sending the nesting birds scattering in a frenzy.

I leapt onto one werewolf, my nails digging into its flesh, screeching and clawing and biting, only to be pulled off by another. Both of them jumped on me, tearing. I twisted around, kicking one off and grabbing the other around the neck. I raked my teeth across its face and its claws gripped around my waist, ripping into my stone skin. The other werewolf grappled with my frantic leg, eventually getting a good hold and clawing its way through to the muscle.

I glanced around.

Alice was struggling with the weight of two werewolves. Her eyes were narrowed in pain as she flailed about, trying to get a good hold on one of the deranged beasts. Jasper was putting up an excellent fight with three attackers, spinning around and kicking, punching, jumping up and reappearing behind one's back. But he was soon overpowered. Rosalie was screaming in anger, her golden hair whipping about as she fought with two werewolves, her fingers curling around chunks of fur and pulling. Emmett was wrestling with three, his body twisting and turning as he parried the onslaughts. Carlisle and Esme were back-to-back, working in perfect synchronization as they attempted to fight off their attackers. Jacob was yelping, rolling around on the ground and kicking out, his teeth jerking around the head of one werewolf while two others tore into him. Edward was in a crouch, circling around three werewolves, his golden eyes glaring into their crimson ones. They sprung, seizing his limbs, tugging, tearing. He snarled as he writhed under the mass.

We were losing.

We were doomed.


	11. Light

**Chapter 10**

**Light**

I'd never see my family again. Never again would I hold little Renesmee. I would never see her grow up. I would never see Renee or Charlie again. Never again could I embrace my husband, love him. I'd never see Jacob again. Or Alice or Jasper or Carlisle or Esme or Emmett or Rosalie. I'd led my family to their deaths. My vampire family would suffer and burn at the hands of these monsters, then the Volturi would go after Renee and Charlie and – because we wouldn't be there to stop it – Renesmee.

It was all my fault.

I let out a roar of fury and jumped up, swinging around and knocking the two werewolves off their feet. I grabbed one by the fur and tore a chunk of flesh of its snout. It howled in pain and dug its claws into my neck. The other seized my back, slicing through my skin.

I fought desperately, angrily. But it was futile.

There was no hope.

I screamed, my eyes glazed over in rage. I was striking back so mindlessly and angrily I did not realize that there _was_ hope.

The sun was rising.

Its warm beams shone across the forest, coating the landscape in a beautiful yellow glow. The pink and orange clouds seemed to be on our side, fleeing from the sun and letting it bath us in its full glory. Our skin glittered and flashed.

The werewolves were writhing around on the ground, clutching their faces and wailing in agony. I staggered to my feet and locked eyes with Edward. He was grinning. I scanned the clearing, watching my family brush themselves off. I stifled a gag of horror as I watched Emmett reattach a hand. Alice was pulling her foot back on like it was a sock. Jacob was on his side, breathing heavily, Carlisle bent over him. His leg was leaking sinew. My hand instinctively flew to my mouth and I was at his side in an instant.

"What's wrong?" I demanded.

"I'm all right, Bella," Jacob muttered, rolling his eyes. "Carlisle, hurry up. I want to get back to my Nessie."

I smiled. It must be so difficult for Jacob right now, being away from his imprintee. I compared it to being away from Edward and shuddered.

Thinking that, I turned to look for him again. Before I could finish turning, he was there, his arms around me, his lips pressed against mine. I wrapped my hands through his hair, delighting in this moment of bliss.

Our family was saved.

Eventually I pulled away from Edward and analysed my other senses. Jasper and Emmett were going through the screaming werewolves – which were now half-transformed back into humans – and snapping their necks before throwing them into a blazing fire.

Jasper frowned.

"No!" Edward hissed. He let go of me and rushed over to Jasper. "Are you sure?"

Edward spun around, his eyes darting around the clearing angrily.

"What's the matter?" I asked, alert and worried, appearing beside him.

"The creator escaped," he answered through clenched teeth.

"What? Are you sure?" Carlisle was there now. Vampires popped up around us, glancing around, frustrated.

Edward cocked his head. "No, wait I hear him." He snorted. "What a pris, he thinks he can escape." He turned toward the thoughts and led the way into the trees again.

In no time we found him, crawling around the ground desperately. He had almost changed back. He looked more like a naked man with ugly grey patches of fur decorating his body. His eyes were still glowing red. He looked hideous.

We stood over him and he growled in fear and anger.

"Why have you done this?" Carlisle demanded.

He did not answer aloud but I knew he was obliviously going through it in his mind. Edward uttered a low growl and, before we could stop him, was slicing through almost-human neck flesh. The werewolf gurgled and thrashed for a few seconds before he collapsed, defeated.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow.

"That evil sadistic bas–"

I wrapped my arms around Edward's waist, silencing him.

He sighed.

"It's okay," Emmett grinned, slapping Edward on the back. "We won, he's dead. I never thought I'd be so grateful to that giant yellow ball in the sky."

Edward's lips were pressed into a thin line as he glared at the mangled body we surrounded. Finally he turned and punched Emmett in the arm, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I considered what might have happened if we hadn't visited Renee and discovered the werewolves. I shuddered.

The creator was thrown in the bonfire along with his creations. I hoped he burnt in hell. He'd ruined so many lives – the lives of those he changed, their families and friends, and the victims that his produce had slaughtered.

But it was over now. The humans would be none the wiser, thinking them wild animal attacks. The families would grieve, but life would go on. And hopefully it would never happen again.


	12. Explain

**Renee**

**Chapter 11**

**Explain**

I watched from the window as they literally disappeared into the night. I stifled a sob. I was scared of my daughter, I hated what she had become, and I was ashamed to admit it, but I loved her regardless. And now she was off fighting _werewolves_. As if today could get any more dramatic.

Charlie cleared his throat behind me. I turned, quickly wiping away some of the tears from my eyes. He looked at me with a touch of sympathy.

"So..." he hesitated. "How much do you know?" He took a sudden interest in his hands, inspecting the back of them, avoiding my gaze.

"I know that my daughter is now a vampire and that she's going off on a suicide mission." I fumbled on the word _vampire_, eventually managing to force it out.

Charlie's eyes bulged. His face turned white and he fell into the stairs, clutching the rail for support. His breath came in shattered bursts. Renesmee bounced over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging.

"Charlie, what's wrong?" I asked, worried. Was my ex-husband having a heart attack?

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," he croaked. His eyes were shimmering with suppressed tears.

"What?" I was confused. Then it hit me. "Oh... you... you didn't know?" He'd _seemed_ like he knew. More than me, in fact.

He shook his head slowly.

"But when she said about the were..." I couldn't bring myself to finish the word. "You seemed to know what she was talking about. You even had a go at Jacob, for some reason. What was with that anyway?"

I noticed Renesmee's eyes flash as I said Jacob's name. They were full of... what looked like _possession_. What the -?

Charlie pulled himself up and carried Renesmee into the living room, setting her on the couch and draping a blanket over her. She watched us with wide, curious eyes. It still startled me how intelligent she was for such an incredibly young child.

Charlie sat on one side of Renesmee and me on the other. His eyes were swimming with pain as he glanced at me. He always hurt when he saw me nowadays. I pushed away the guilt. No, I loved Phil. He just needed to get over me. Find another woman and get on with his life.

"Well..." he began. "It was a bit of a ... _shock_... the way I found out." He snorted and shook his head. "Jacob... he came here, he took of his clothes and then... _poof_. He just turned into this massive wolf... The same massive wolf I'd been _hunting, _nonetheless."

He stopped abruptly and I raised an eyebrow. If Jacob was a werewolf... but what had Bella said? _Jacob is not a werewolf. He thought he was but he isn't. He's a shape shifter. But there are real werewolves out there, and they are much more dangerous._ I shuddered again as I remembered that giant furry beast that had smashed into my house... the glowing red evil eyes, the huge yellow teeth... I pinched my arm. No, I wasn't having a nightmare.

Suddenly Renesmee spoke. "You were hunting my Jacob?" she squeaked. Tears welled in her deep chocolate eyes. "Why?"

Charlie bit his lip. "Well, when people began spotting the giant wolf we had to make sure that it wouldn't hurt anyone," he tried to explain.

"Jake would never hurt anyone!"

"I didn't know it was Jacob," he muttered, patting her hand reassuringly.

Renesmee frowned - a cute, half-forgiving frown.

"Wait, what do you mean _your_ Jacob?" I asked, realizing then the pronoun she'd used.

She pursed her lips, silent.

I waited a minute before I got impatient. "Nessie?" I pressed.

She shook her head slowly, then looked up at me with sad eyes. "I don't think you would like to know," she whispered.

What did she mean by that? "What, is Jacob your pet shape shifter?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light.

She scowled at me.

There was a long, awkward silence. Finally I broke it. "So how come you didn't know she was a..." I trailed off.

"I didn't want to know any more than Jacob had shoved on me."

"Oh."

"So... what exactly happened... in Phoenix?"

I swallowed, not exactly wanting to recount the horror. "Well, I hadn't seen Bella in months, and I really wanted to speak to her. So I rang the Forks hospital and asked for Carlisle's number... They wouldn't give it to me, but then he heard the receptionist say his name and he took the phone and... I asked for Bella's number. I rang Bella up and someone answered. I didn't know it was Bella, I mean, it _couldn't_ have been Bella. It sounded nothing like her... But she said it was her... Then we talked a bit, and I heard this little girl's voice..." I turned to Renesmee, and she looked up at me, as though remembering it herself. "Say 'daddy, look what I found'. And then it was a bit quiet, and I was thinking _oh my God_, I'm a grandmother. It's the first thing I thought of. I guess.... I guess I was hoping it was true. It could have been friends... but Bella and Edward didn't seem to have that many friends, especially ones with young kids... I was a bit shocked, really. I overreacted a... a bit. Bella was caught off guard. She didn't know what to say. That only fuelled my belief that I had a granddaughter. But then I realized that my supposed grandkid could _speak_, and that confused me. A lot. I said I was going to go visit her, but she refused. She told me she'd come with the girl.

So... so she came with Edward. Phil -" Charlie flinched slightly "- went to work, he said. He didn't have work, but he left anyway because Bella wanted to be alone. I don't know where he went. But Bella... she asked me if I was superstitious. That's how she began! I mean, what was I _supposed to think_? I thought she'd joined a cult or something! Then she just blurted it out. 'We're vampires.' I took that well. Fainted all over the place."

Immediately I turned a dull pink and turned my attention to Renesmee. Charlie had obviously been wondering about the werewolf attack, and I'd gushed on about everything else. But he was listening intently nevertheless. That disturbed me a bit. When would he get over me and move on with his life?

"When I woke up they showed me the most beautiful little girl in the world." I smiled at Renesmee. "It was a blessing for her to be named after me... As we were leaving Edward suddenly got really agitated and pushed us back inside. Then the w... then _it_ crashed through the back door. And it stood in the doorway, and stared straight at me... With those big red eyes..." I shuddered and wiped away the stream of tears now cascading down my cheeks. I did not want to look scared in front of Charlie. I did not want to seem weak. "And Edward and Bella pounced on it so fast I didn't even see them move. They were in front of me one moment... then suddenly just _on top _of it. I just acted on instinct - I grabbed Renesmee and hid in the bathroom."

I took a deep breath and turned my head, inspecting the walls. Charlie sighed.

After a few silent minutes, Charlie lifted Renesmee up. "We better get you to bed, sweetie."


	13. Reunion

**Chapter 12**

**Reunion**

Where was Bella now? She'd still be on the plane, with the rest of her coven. Her _coven_. I shuddered away from the thought. No doubt the Cullens would cause a fair few head-turns, what with their inhuman beauty and statue attitudes.

I sighed and turned over. The clock shone 3 am. I was sleeping in Bella's old bed. Renesmee was snoring softly beside me, her hands curled around the pillow.

Eventually I managed to drift into a fitful sleep.

* * *

The faint sunlight beamed through the window. It was warm. My eyes still closed, I rolled over, my arms reaching for Phil. He wasn't there.

My eyes snapped open and Bella's room swam into view, jolting back all the memories from the day before. I sat up abruptly. Bella was sitting in the rocking chair, her eyes closed. She was smiling, holding Renesmee in her arms. Renesmee was asleep, but Bella was holding her tiny hand to her cheek.

"Good morning!" came an excited, musical voice. Instantly, Alice was on the bed in front of me, holding out a silver tray. On it was a plate laden haphazardly with an army's supply of bacon and eggs, a glass of orange juice with a little blue umbrella and a straw, a spoon, a knife and a fork, a white napkin and a small vase sporting a single battered-looking daisy. "Breakfast is served!" She pushed the tray into my lap before I could react.

Bella opened her eyes and rolled them. "Alice, have you considered therapy?" she teased. She directed her attention to me. "She goes a bit overboard sometimes."

I nodded dumbly, still overwhelmed. "Um... what do I need a spoon for?" I asked quietly, holding up the offending cutlery.

Alice frowned at the thin silver object, then whipped it out of my hand. "No idea. But I never give up the opportunity to practice my cooking."

"Thanks for this. It looks... lovely." I eyed the food. It looked fine enough. Alice was staring at me intently. Bravely, I popped some egg into my mouth and chewed. It _was_ fine. Yum. "Is everyone else up?" I asked. I glanced at the clock. Noon.

"Charlie's been up for half an hour," Bella said. "Jacob's completely zonked out. He would be so tired." Now that I listened, I could hear the TV on downstairs, along with voices.

"What about you two?" I queried. "Aren't you exhausted?" My thought turned to coffins.

Alice laughed a high, ringing laugh that chimed like bells. Bella smiled. "No, we're okay."

"What's so funny?"

"We don't sleep, Mum," Bella explained.

"Ever?" I cried, shocked.

They both shook their heads. "Wow, that must be... weird." I couldn't think of a better word.

"Alright, enough talking." Alice gestured toward the food. "Eat."

I realized how hungry I was then and shovelled it down. But Alice had cooked so much, I'd still left about a quarter. She looked disappointed as I pushed the tray away. "Thank you Alice. But you made way too much."

Suddenly, with a full stomach, I remembered why I was in Bella's old bed in Forks.

"Are you okay?" I asked, instantly jumping up and darting over to inspect my daughter for any injuries. "How did it go?"

"It went... um..." Bella hesitated. "Well."

"It was fun," Alice offered, shooting a glance at Bella.

"What? _What happened_? Omigod, is everyone okay? Is anyone injured? Is anyone..."

"Mum, we're all perfectly intact." She flinched as she said _intact_.

"How many were there?"

"A few."

"Bella!"

"I'd rather not tell you, Mum."

"Tell me, Bella, I'm your mother."

"I would lie, but you know I don't like doing that."

"Then don't."

"Twenty-one," Alice piped up.

I spun around, my eyes bulging, staring at the small pixie-like vampire before me. "_What_?" I shrieked. "How the heck did you survive that?"

Alice pointed out the window. "It's a good thing we didn't find them earlier." She grimaced. "The sun rose and they began to transform back. They were in too much pain from it to notice us."

Bella was giving Alice death glares and I noted that her lips were moving incredibly slightly, as though she were talking. "Well she has the right to know!" Alice hissed back quietly.

Alice pulled a cell phone out of her pocket and tossed it to me. "Here."

I looked at it blankly for a few seconds before I realized why I needed it. "Thanks." I dialled the number of Phil's mobile and pressed it to my ear. On the fourth ring it picked up.

"Hello?" he answered uncertainly. His voice was strained - teary.

"Oh Phil! I'm so sorry! Will you ever forgive me? I had to leave! But it's safe now. I'm coming home!" I babbled.

"Renee! What happened? Where are you?"

"I can't tell you... Witness protection and stuff," I invented. "But I'm okay now and I'll be on the next plane to Phoenix."

"_WITNESS PROTECTION!?_"

Oops. Maybe that wasn't the right thing to say. I heard a loud laugh downstairs. If my memory was correct, that was Emmett. Could he hear Phil on the other end of the line? What superb hearing. No, I concluded, he must be laughing at something else.

"Phil, don't panic. It's all over. I'm coming home," I repeated.

Phil was stunned. He didn't know what to say. He breathed into the phone heavily, sending sparks of static through.

"Phil?" I whispered.

"Is this about Bella?" came his hoarse reply.

"....Yes."

There was a long silence. Even downstairs seemed quiet.

"But I'll be home in a few hours," I promised.

There was another long silence.

"Okay," he responded softly. "Renee, I love you. You know you can tell me what's going on."

I looked at Bella. Her face was unreadable, but her eyes - her glinting topaz eyes, so un-Bella like - flashed with emotion and I knew she could hear him.

"M-maybe one day," I concluded. "But for now I have to go."

I could almost see him pouting on the other end of the line. "Okay," he said again, quieter than ever. "Goodbye."

And the phone clicked, signalling the end of the conversation.

* * *

_That's the end. Don't cry, please. I already gave you two more chapters due to high demand, I'm not giving you any more. I am going to start on my next story, and care not for this one anymore. It is finished. If you are insisting on commenting with "what happens next tell us tell us" then I'll say this: Renee leaves, Phil believes the lie about the burglar, they refurbish the house and live happily ever after._


End file.
